One of the biggest news at the Switch reveal was that the company of Mario and Zelda will finally provide a deeper and more robust online service.
However, it will be eventually a paid service in Fall 2017. This news caused a heated debate within the hardcore Nintendo fanbase on whether it was the right choice or not.
According to Piers Harding-Rolls, Technology and lead games sector analyst at IHS (Information Handling Services) Markit, the decision makes complete sense from a financial standpoint as Microsoft and Sony got a huge influx of revenue from online subscriptions last year. That said, he added that it could be a hard transition to make for the average Nintendo gamer.
Nintendo's paid online service makes complete sense. MS and Sony sold $2.7bn in subscriptions last year a lot of which is reinvested!
— Piers Harding-Rolls (@PiersHR) January 13, 2017
Even so going paid may be a hard transition for the average Nintendo gamer
— Piers Harding-Rolls (@PiersHR) January 13, 2017
The online service has been detailed on the official Switch website. In March 2017, when the new console launches, Online Play will be available for free with the following features:
You’ll be able to play compatible co-op and competitive games online by signing in with your Nintendo Account. Online play will be free for Nintendo Account holders until our paid online service launches in fall 2017.
After the free-trial period, most games will require a paid online service subscription from Nintendo in order to play online.This service is only for Switch. It does not affect Wii U or 3DS systems or online play.
In Fall 2017, when the online service goes premium, these features will be added:
Online lobby and voice chat
Our new dedicated smart device app will connect to Nintendo Switch and let you invite friends to play online, set play appointments, and chat with friends during online matches in compatible games─all from your smart device.
A free, limited version of this app will be available for download in summer 2017.
Monthly game download
Subscribers will get to download and play a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) or Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES) game (with newly-added online play) for free for a month.
Exclusive deals
Special offers for subscribers may include discounts on select digital games and content.
What do you think of the paid online services? Let us know below and don't forget to check Dave's first hands-on impressions with the Switch console.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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